Postoperative fever after major abdominal surgery

The investigation is a report of postoperative fever in 608 patients, who had been subjected to major abdominal surgery. There were 259 patients (259/608: 43%) who developed fever, defined as a temperature higher than or equal to 38 degrees C, on at least two consecutive measurements. A focus as an explanation of the fever could be demonstrated in 93 patients (93/259: 36%). The most frequent extraabdominal fever foci were in order of magnitude: pulmonary infection, wound infection and urinary infection. In those patients where a focus was present the maximum temperature as well as the duration of fever was longer than in patients without a focus. The time from operation to onset of fever did not differ in the two groups.